Three candidates are currently on the board: Mr. Lesh is a four-term incumbent, Mr. Sheridan is seeking his second term and Mr. Douaihy is the board's newest member, appointed on April 5 to fill Sean O'Shea's vacancy. Mr. Hartman has served three terms on the board, the last term ending in 2009. Education funding and school safety are the top issues for many candidates. Under the last two budgets by Gov. Tom Corbett, the district lost a combined $11 million.

If elected for a fifth term, Mr. Lesh said he would concentrate on opening a new school in the city's Hill Section, which would combine the populations of the now-closed John Audubon Elementary and William Prescott Elementary schools.

Ms. Oleski said she wants to be a watchdog for taxpayers and put more emphasis on "everyday schoolwork" and less emphasis on state testing. She also wants to find wasteful spending and put the money back in the classroom.

The main goal for Mr. Manley is to make sure Scranton schools are safe. He also wants to add off-duty police officers on Scranton buses.

Mr. Schuster said he would work toward creating a more open board, would promote discussion and use "common sense" when it comes to school safety.

More advanced courses are a goal for Mr. Borthwick, and he said he wants to add a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program.

Mr. Sheridan said school safety must be improved, including adding school resource officers and installing surveillance cameras on the outside of school buses to catch people illegally passing buses.

Mr. Douaihy said from facing another budget by Mr. Corbett to the development of the district's alternative school, he wants to have a role in decision-making. The district must also look at school security and maintain a healthy climate between administration and the teachers' union, he said.

Mr. Timlin said one of his biggest goals is to make sure budget cuts do not affect children and to prepare students for the job market.

Mr. Hartman not only wants to take a tough look at district finances, he wants more accountability on the board.

Mr. Miller said that instead of being focused on politics, the board needs to ensure students have the proper curriculum and education they need.

Mr. Casey, who is no relation to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, said he would like to see the district share resources and services with other local governments to save money. He would also like to see the district pursue federal, state and private grants.

Mr. McAndrew also said funding is the most important issue facing the district. He wants to focus on the "success of the student," and making sure that taxes are well spent and "actually get to the classroom," he said.

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